Board of Commissioners

The six District Water Commissioners are appointed for three-year staggered terms, three by the Dedham Select Board and three by the Westwood Select Board. They typically meet monthly.

Town of Dedham

Eric L. Merithew

Board Member

Appointed to the Water Commission in 2021, Eric is a graduate of WPI and UMass Medical School with a Ph.D. in biochemistry.

He is a consultant and service manager for the municipal and industrial water and wastewater industry, with a broad range of experience in treatment, distribution, and revenue optimization. He lives in Dedham with his wife, Jennifer, and two children, Ethan and Grace.

John M. Healy

Vice-Chair

John was appointed as a Water commissioner in April of 2022.

He is a 1995 graduate of Bridgewater State College with a BS in Sociology and BA in History, 1998 MS in Criminal Justice Administration Western New England College, 2004 JD Massachusetts School of Law, 2007 CAGS Leadership Northeastern University, and 2008 Certification from Massachusetts Division of Local Services in residential and commercial assessing and valuation.

Previously, he served on the Town of Dedham's Finance Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee, School Committee, and Board of Assessors.

John is a ratepayer, lifelong Dedham resident, and business owner of Healy Law Offices LLC, specializing in Elder Law and Estate Planning, Municipal Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Law.

Robert M. Lexander

Board Member

Robert was an employee of the Dedham-Westwood Water District for 41 years, with the last 19 of his career holding the position of Production Superintendent.

He is a licensed water operator holding his Water Treatment Grade 4 and Water Distribution Grade 4 licenses through the Massachusetts Division of Occupational licensure.

Town of Westwood

Louis N. Kustwan

Chair

Appointed to the Water Commission in 2023, Louis is an experienced business development and sales executive for I.T. industries.

Louis is a University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Early on in his career, he worked in the water and environmental engineering municipal industry.

Mark D. Phillips

Board Member

Mark was appointed to the Water Commission in 2022. He is a seasoned water and wastewater professional with close to thirty-five years of experience working in business development, sales, account management, and engineering for the industry.

Mark earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

He is an active member of the Westwood community, volunteering his time for youth sports, including, little league, lacrosse, soccer, and football.

Jennifer Perkins

Clerk

Jennifer was appointed to the board in January 2025. She has over 25 years of experience in the state and local government and education markets as a practitioner, consultant, and industry advisor.

Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Middlebury College and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Boston University.

She previously served on the Town of Westwood’s Finance and Recreation Committees. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at a local animal shelter.

Rules, Regulations, Water Rates, and Fees

AS APPROVED BY THE DEDHAM-WESTWOOD WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS 1/15/2026

District Headquarters

During Office Hours:

After Hours Emergency: